Conveyor roller lubricating device

ABSTRACT

A conveyor rail-supported device provided with an air-operated reciprocating pump and a multiposition air valve which cooperatively discharge a metered quantity of a liquid lubricant on each roller of the conveyor as said roller moves past a predetermined position on said rail, which device by a simple manual operation is rendered inoperative whereby maintenance work may be performed thereon, even though said conveyor continues to operate.

United States Patent inventor Warren J. Walsh 1856 E St., Long Beach, Calif. 90813 Appl. No. 841,220 I 1*111' 11 July 14, 1969 lalr-nlnl Aug. 17,1971

CONVEYOR ROLLER LUBRICATING DEVICE 2,848,068 8/1958 Abbottetal 2,886,134 5/1959 Simmons 184/15 2,893,515 7/1959 Schweisthal... 184/15 3,017,955 1/1962 Tassile 184/15 A 1,073,415 1/1963 Dutton el :11 1114/15 A 1 5l11.4711 l/11711 1151c! .1 .7 1114/1 11X FURI'IIHN I'A'l'liN'lS 774,421 12/1967 Canada 184/2 Primary Examiner-Manuel A. Antonakas Attorney-William C. Babcock ABSTRACT: A conveyor rail-supported device provided with an air-operated reciprocating pump and a multiposition air valve which cooperatively discharge a metered quantity of a liquid lubricant on each roller of the conveyor as said roller moves past a predetermined position on said rail, which device by a simple manual operation is rendered inoperative whereby maintenance work may be performed thereon, even though said conveyor continues to operate.

2 5 m, e g8 g2 g5) g0 64 95% 4e I T i CONVEYOR ROLLER LUBRICATING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention A conveyor roller lubricating device and novel air-operated reciprocating pump used therewith.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the industrial field conveyor systems that include a rail and a number of roller-supported hangers connected by a power-driven link belt are frequently used to move a succession of objects through heated zones such as ovens, or the like. Lubrication of the rollers on such a conveyor poses a serious problem, for unless properly lubricated, they are relatively short lived. Replacement of worn out rollers, or those which become frozen due to improper lubrication, results in closing down operation of the conveyor to permit maintenance work thereon that entails a substantial expense, as well as drastic interference with production schedules.

The present invention results in proper lubrication of each roller of a conveyor system with a metered quantity of oil each time a roller passes a predetermined position in the system, minimizes the wear on the rollers, and also the time lost when a conveyor system is closed down while maintenance work is performed thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A conveyor roller lubricating device in which an airoperated multiposition valve is moved through a succession of positionsby each roller of a conveyor system as the roller passes a predetermined position, with the valve when it is so actuated, directing air under pressure to a reciprocating pump in such a manner that the pump discharges a metered quantity of liquid lubricant onto the roller at said position.

A major object of the present invention is to supply a roller lubricating device that may be supported-from the rail of a conveyor at an elevated position thereabove for easy maintenance, and one that automatically lubricates each roller ofa conveyor system each time a roller moves past a predetermined position on said rail.

Another object of the invention is to supply a conveyor roller lubricating device of simple mechanical structure, which by a simple manual operation, is rendered inoperative to permit maintenance work to be performed on the device without closing down operation of a conveyor system.

A still further object of the invention is to furnish an airoperated reciprocating pump that is adapted to discharge a metered quantity of liquid therefrom, with the volume of each quantity so discharged being easily controlled bya manual adjustment provided on the pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the conveyor roller lubricating device mounted in an elevated position above a conveyor rail;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the reciprocating pump; and

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A conveyor A is shown in FIG. 1 that includes a flanged rail I and a number of longitudinally spaced hangers 12 that are connected by an endless link belt 14. Each hanger 12 includes two stub shafts 16 that rotatably supports two ball bearing or roller bearing rollers 18, each which pair of rollers is supported on a lower flange 20 forming a part of rail 10. Only one roller 18 and supporting shaft 16 is shown in FIG. 1.

The roller oiling device B, the subject matter of the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1 as being mounted above the rail 10. Oiling device B includes a cylindrical oil reservoir 22 provided with an oil filling inlet assembly 2211 of conventional design on the upper portion thereof.

Two L-shaped, longitudinally spaced clips 24 (FIG. 1) are secured to an upper flange 26 of rail 10. Two uprights 28 are also secured to the reservoir 22 and clips 24 by conventional means, and serve to support the reservoir at a desired position above rail 10. Uprights 28 are connected by a vertical wall piece 30 and cooperatively define an open frame C.

A plate 32 is pivotably supported by a pin or bolt 34 from wall piece 30, as shown in FIG. 2. A flange 36 extends outwardly from the upper edge of plate 32, and when this flange contacts a stop 38 (FIG. 2), the plate 32 is disposed in a first position. A three-way, normally closed, two-position air control valve D is rigidly secured to plate 32. An air inlet 40, air outlet 42, and air discharge vent 44 are provided in valve D, as may be seen in FIG. 4. Valve D includes a spring-loaded, pivotably supported, actuating lever 46 extending downwardly therefrom, and a disc 48 is rotatably supported on the lower end thereof, as shown in FIG. 1.

Disc 48 is sequentially contacted by one of each pair of rollers 18 as the pairs of rollers 18 move past a predetermined position on the rail 10. For the disc 48 to be contacted by the rollers 18, the plate 32 must be in a first position.

An air-operated pump assembly E, best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, is supported from frame B. Pump assembly E includes a body 50 having a cylinder 52 in a first end portion thereof, which cylinder is in communication withan aligned bore 54 that has a tapped end 56. The tapped end 56 in turn communicates with an aligned elongate oil metering chamber 58. A tapped oil inlet 60 and tapped oil outlet 62 are formed in body 50, as illustrated in FIG. 3, which communicate with chamber 58. Oil inlet 60 is engaged by a first check valve 64, which permits passage of oil into chamber 58. Oil outlet 62 is engaged by a second check valve 66 that permits oil to discharge from the chamber 58. v

The tapped end 56 is engaged by an externally threaded cylindrical bushing 68 that forces a resilient O-ring 70 against a cylindrical seat 72 formed at the junction of chamber 58 and tapped bore portion 56, as shown in FIG. 3. A plunger 74 extends through bushing 69 and O-ring 72 and is slidably and sealing engaged by the latter. One end of plunger 74 is 50 to a piston 76 slidably mounted in cylinder 52. A circumferentially extending groove 78 is formed in piston 76 in which a resilient O-ring 80 is positioned that slidably and sealingly engagescylinder 52. Threads 82 are formed in the outer end of cylinder 52 that are engaged by the externally threaded end 84 ofa plug 86, as also shown in FIG. 3.

A bore 88 is provided in plug 86, and communicates with chamber 52 (FIG. 3). The bore 88 is also in communication with an aligned, tapped counterbore 90, which counterbore is threadedly engaged by a plunger throw-controlling screw 92. Screw 92 includes a head or handle 94. The screw 92 is held in a desired longitudinal position relative to the body 50 by a locknut 96, as illustrated in FIG. 3. A transverse, tapped air inlet 98 is formed in plug 86, with the air inlet being in communication with bore 88.

A first conduit 100 is connected to first check valve 64 and to a shutoff valve 102 (FIG. 2), which valve in turn is connected to the interior of reservoir 22 by a conduit 104. Second check valve 66 is connected to a header 106 (FIG. 2) from which two pairs of curved tubes 108 extend on opposite sides of rail 10, and through which oil can be intermittently discharged onto a pair of the rollers 18 as they sequentially pass a predetermined position on the rail 10.

A source 110 of air under pressure is connected by a second conduit 111 to a two-way valve 112, which valve is connected by a conduit 113 to a pressure reducing valve 114. A conduit 115 connects valve I14 to an air pressure gauge I16. The outlet of pressure reducing valve 114 is connected by a conduit 118 to the air inlet 40 of valve D. The gauge I16 indicated the reduced pressure of the air supplied to the valve assembly E through the conduit 1 17.

A tensioned helical spring 120 is connected to flange 36 and wall piece 30, as shown in FIG. 2, which spring tends at all times to pivot plate 32 into a second position where disc 48 (FIG. 4) does not contact rollers 18 as they travel along rail 10. An air-operated clamp assembly F is mounted on wall piece 30. Clamp assembly F includes an air cylinder 122 from which a piston rod 124 extends. The upper interior end of cylinder 122 is connected by a conduit 125 to conduit 118. The valve 112 is manually operated and can occupy either an on" or off" position. When the valve 112 is in the on position, air flows therethrough from source 110 to pressure reducing valve 114, with an exhaust port 112a in the valve being blocked. In the off position, the inlet to valve 112 is blocked, and the outlet of the valve is connected to the exhaust port 112a to permit air to pass, form cylinder 122 whereupon plate 32 is pivoted by spring 120 to a second position where disc 48 is'out of contact with rollers 18.

Prior to contact of disc 48 by one of the rollers 18, the lever 46 is in a first position where air inlet 40 is blocked and air outlet 42 and air discharge vent 44 are connected. As a roller 18 approaches said predetermined position on rail 10, the lever 46 is pivoted upwardly to a second position where air inlet 40 and air outlet 42 are connected and air discharge vent 44 is blocked. The air flowing into bore 88 of pump E when lever 46 is in a second position, causes piston 76 and plunger 74 to move to the left, as viewed in FIG. 3, to permit a predetermined quantity of oil to be discharged from chamber 58 through header 106 and the two pairs of tubes 108 to lubricate a pair of rollers 18.

As the disc 48 and lever 46 return from a second to a first position, communication is established between air outlet 42 and air discharge 44 (FIG. 4), with the air in bore 88 being vented to the atmosphere. A compressed helical spring 126 (FIG. 3) encircles plunger 74, with one end of this spring abutting against bushing 68, and the other against piston 78. When the air exhausts into the ambient atmosphere through discharge 44, the compressed spring 126 moves the plunger 74 and piston 76 to the right to the position shown in FIG. 3. As the plunger 74 moves to the right in the manner just described, a vacuum so formed causes first check valve 64 to open to admit oil into the chamber 58 to fill the same. Bv rotating the screw 92, the throw of the plunger 74 may be controlled, as well as the quantity of oil drawn into the chamber 58 as a charge to be subsequently discharged therefrom to lubricate one ofthe pair ofrollers 18.

The operation described herein is repeated each time one of the pair of rollers 18 passes by the disc 48. When it is necessary to perform any maintenance or repair work on the invention B, the valve 112 is manually placed in the off" position, and air in cylinder 122 vented to the atmosphere through exhaust port 1120. The tensioned spring 120 then pivots plate 32 to the second position where disc 48 is not contacted by rollers 18. Control of the quantity ofliquid lubricant discharged from the pump assembly E is easily carried out by loosening the lock nut 96, and then rotating the screw 92 to control the throw of the plunger 74. When the desired throw is attained, the nut 96 is tightened to a locking position, as shown in FIG. 3. Although the tubes 108 have been illustrated as being in a position to direct oil onto the outer portions of the rollers 18, these tubes may be so disposed to discharge oil onto the inner portions thereof. When the tubes 108 are so located as to discharge oil onto the inner portions of the rollers 18, the tubes extend downwardly through an opening (not shown) in the upper flange 26.

The air pressure supplied by the pressure reducing valve 114 to operate the pump assembly E will vary between to 65 pounds per square inch, depending upon the viscosity of the oil used and the quantity of oil the pump assembly E is set to discharge for each stroke ofthe plunger 74. The quantity of oil discharged by each stroke of the plunger 74 is variable at the discretion of the user in order that only the minimum quantity of oil to properly lubricate the rollers 18 under a specific environmental condition will be used.

lclaim:

I. In combination with a conveyor that includes a rail, a plurality of longitudinally spaced rollers which move on said rail, a plurality of hangers that rotatably support said rollers on stub shafts extending therefrom, an elongate power-driven link belt connected to said hangers for moving said belt, rollers, and hangers relative to said rail, an improvement for sequentially oiling each of said rollers with a desired quantity of oil as each roller passes a predetermined position on said rail, comprising:

a. an oil reservoir;

b. frame means for supporting said reservoir from said rail;

0. a plate pivotally supported from said frame means;

d. first means for holding said plate in a first position on said frame;

e. a two-position air control valve rigidly secured to said plate, which valve includes an air inlet, air outlet, and an air discharge vent in communication with the ambient atmosphere, with said valve further including a springloaded movable actuating lever adapted to be contacted by said rollers only when said plate is in said first position, with said lever when in a first position effecting communication between said air outlet and said air discharge vent and obstructing communication between said air inlet and said air outlet, and when said lever is in a second position establishing communication between said air inlet and said air outlet and blocking communication between said air outlet and said air discharge vent;

f. an air-operated pump assembly including a reciprocally movable spring-loaded plunger and piston, an oil inlet, an oil outlet, an air inlet and a manually adjustable screw for controlling the stroke of said plunger and piston and the specific quantity of oil discharged from said outlet each time said plunger and piston reciprocates;

g. first and second normally closed check valves connected to said oil inlet and oil outlet;

h. a first conduit connecting said oil reservoir to said first check valve;

i. tube means disposed in a fixed position relative to said frame and connected to said second check valve through which a specific quantity of said oil is discharged onto each of said rollers and stub shafts as said belt sequentially moves each of said rollers and stub shafts past said predetermined position;

j. a second conduit connecting said air outlet of said valve to said air inlet of said pump assembly, with each of said rollers as it approaches said predetermined position moving said lever from said first to said second position whereupon said plunger is moved from a first to a second position in said pump assembly to discharge a specific quantity of oil therefrom through said tube means onto said roller, with said roller as it passes said predetermined position permitting said lever to return from said second to said first position drawing a second specific quantity of said oil into said pump assembly through said first conduit and first check valve due to a vacuum created in said pump assembly;

k. second means for supplying air under pressure to said air inlet ofsaid valve;

I a protuberance on said plate;

m. a stop supported from said frame means, which stop is contacted by said protuberance when said plate is in said first position; and

n. an air-operated means connected to said second means for forcing said protuberance into contact with said stop.

2. An improvement as defined in claim 1 which further includes:

0. spring means for pivoting said plate to a second position when air under pressure is not supplied to said airoperated means.

3. An improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said airoperated means comprises:

p. an air cylinder supported from said frame means;

q. a piston rod slidably movable is said cylinder, with said rod contacting said protuberance and clamping said protuberance against said stop when air under pressure is supplied to said cylinder;

permit said spring means to pivot said plate from said first to said second position. 

1. In combination with a conveyor that includes a rail, a plurality of longitudinally spaced rollers which move on said rail, a plurality of hangers that rotatably support said rollers on stub shafts extending therefrom, an elongate power-driven link belt connected to said hangers for moving said belt, rollers, and hangers relative to said rail, an improvement for sequentially oiling each of said rollers with a desired quantity of oil as each roller passes a predetermined position on said rail, comprising: a. an oil reservoir; b. frame means for supporting said reservoir from said rail; c. a plate pivotally supported from said frame means; d. first means for holding said plate in a first position on said frame; e. a two-position air control valve rigidly secured to said plate, which valve includes an air inlet, air outlet, and an air discharge vent in communication with the ambient atmosphere, with said valve further including a spring-loaded movable actuating lever adapted to be contacted by said rollers only when said plate is in said first position, with said lever when in a first position effecting communication between said air outlet and said air discharge vent and obstructing communication between said air inlet and said air outlet, and when said lever is in a second position establishing communication between said air inlet and said air outlet and blocking communication between said air outlet and said air discharge vent; f. an air-operated pump assembly including a reciprocally movable spring-loaded plunger and piston, an oil inlet, an oil outlet, an air inlet and a manually adjustable screw for controlling the stroke of said plunger and piston and the specific quantity of oil discharged from said outlet each time said plunger and piston reciprocates; g. first and second normally closed check valves connected to said oil inlet and oil outlet; h. a first conduit connecting said oil reservoir to said first check valve; i. tube means disposed in a fixed position relative to said frame and connected to said second check valve through which a specific quantity of said oil is discharged onto each of said rollers and stub shafts as said belt sequentially moves each of said rollers and stub shafts past said predetermined position; j. a second conduit connecting said air outlet of said valve to said air inlet of said pump assembly, with each of said rollers as it approaches said predetermined position moving said lever from said first to said second position whereupon said plunger is moved from a first to a second position in said pump assembly to discharge a specific quantity of oil therefrom through said tube means onto said roller, with said roller as it passes said predetermined position permitting said lever to return from said second to said first position drawing a second specific quantity of said oil into said pump assembly through said first conduit and first check valve due to a vacuum created in said pump assembly; k. second means for supplying air under pressure to said air inlet of said valve;
 1. a protuberance on said plate; m. a stop supported from said frame means, which stop is contacted by said protuberance when said plate is in said first position; and n. an air-operated means connected to said second means for forcing said protuberance into contact with said stop.
 2. An improvement as defined in claim 1 which further includes:
 0. spring means for pivoting said plate to a second position when air under pressure is not supplied to said air-operated means.
 3. An improvement as defined in claim 2 wherein said air-operated means comprises: p. an air cylinder supported from said frame means; q. a piston rod slidably movable is said cylinder, with said rod contacting said protuberance and clamping said protuberance against said stop when air under pressure is supplied to said cylinder; r. means for supplying air under pressure to said cylinder; and s. means for venting air under pressure from said cylinder to permit said spring means to pivot said plate from said first to said second position. 